Music-leaf turner.



PATENTED MAR. 20, 1906.

T. STEVENTON. MUSIC LEAF TURNER.

APPLICATION IIL'ED AUG. 19. 1905.

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NTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MUSIC-LEAF TURNER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

atented Maren 20, 1906.

Application filed August 19, 1905. Serial No. 274,853.

To cir/Z zul/1,0m, t may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS STEvENToN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented new and useful Improvements in Music-Leaf Turners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a device for turning sheets or leaves of music, the object of the invention being to provide a simple, reliable, and inexpensive device of this character which may be rea/dily applied to a piano or like instrument or to a music-rack and operated to successively turn the sheets or leaves without interfering with the playing of the performer.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of a musicleaf turner constructed in accordance with my invention, the leaf-turning arms being broken away adjacent to their outer ends to show the feed-spring of the feed-rack and the tension-controlling device therefor. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section, showing the device turned up at right angles to its normal position. Fig. 3 is a cross-section taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the device looking toward that end carrying the nuts for regulating the tension of the arm-swinging straps. Fig. 5 is a cross-section taken on line 5 5 of Fig. l looking toward the end of the device shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is an outer end view of one of the leaf-turning lingers, showing the spring gripping-finger thereof. Fig. 7 is a detail view of the springcomb plate. Fig. 8 is a similar view of one of the detents for holding and releasing the turning-arms, andFig. 9 is a detail view of the headed end of one of the leaf-turning arms.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates an oblong rectangular casing open at the front from a point a little to the left of its transverse center to provide for the movement of the leafturning arm, the remainder of the front of the casing being closed bya removable coverplate 2. Arranged upon the casing are a series of leaf-turning arms 3, which when arranged in operative position for turning the leaves extend longitudinally at the front of the casing from a point about midway thereof to and beyond the right-hand end of the casing, each arm terminating at its outer end in a right-angularly-projecting spring-linger composed of spaced spring-strips 4, adapted to receive and engage the edge of the leaf or .j

sheet to be turned.

The arms 3 are connected at their inner ends to a series of circular heads 5, pivotally mounted upon a common shaft or pivot-pin 6, extending vertically within and suitably fixed in the top and bottom walls of the casing, the heads being arranged side by side in parallel relation and adapted for independent movement on the said pivot 6. Each head 5 is partially grooved to receive one end of an arm-swinging connection 7, which may be in u the form of a strap, cord, or like flexible element. Each kof these straps 7 is fastened at one end to its respective head 5, and thence extends into the casing and passes arounda guide-pulley 8, suitably mounted in the casing in rear of the cover-plate 2 and connected at its opposite end to one end of an actuatingspring 9, the opposite end of which spring is connected to a screwstem 10, extending through the left-hand end wall of the casing and provided with an actuating head or nut l1, whereby the tension of the spring 9 may be increased or 4diminished to govern the pull upon the strap 7 and the swinging action of the connecting-arm 8.

The arms 3 are held in their normal operative position against the pull of the springs 9 by a series of detents 12. Each detent 12 is of angular form, having engaging arms 13 and 14 arranged at right angles to each other, the arm 13 being formed with an eye or knuckle 15, whereby the detent is pivotally mounted upon a suitable pivot rod or pin 16, extending vertically between and connected to the top and bottom walls of the casing. The free ends of the arms 13 of the series of detents 12 are adapted to engage notchesor shoulders 16 formed in the edges of the heads 5 to hold said heads from rotation and maintain the arms in their operative position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The detents are held in engaging position by an actuating-spring common to all, said spring being in the form of a comb-plate 17, having a series of parallel spring-fingers 18, which respectively bear against the under sides of the arms 13 and hold the same projected upward into engagement with the heads 5. The fingers 18 are connected by a cross-strip 19, from which the ngers project upwardly in a curved line to properly engage the arms 1S, as shown in TOO TIO

Fig. 2, the said strip 19 having upturned ends or ears 20, pierced for the passage of fastenings to secure the same to the top and bottom walls of the casing 1.

The detents 12 are controlled and released by an intermittently-movable feed-bar or release-bar 21, provided upon its front side with a series of teeth 22 equal in number to the detents and so arranged that an internisttent movement of the bar longitudinally of and to the right of the casing 1 will successively bring the teeth into position to engage the arms 14 of the detents and tilt the arms 13 thereof inwardly against the resistance of the springfingers 13, thereby releasing the heads 5 and permitting` them to be turned by the action of their operating-springs 9 to throw the arms 3 to the left and turn the leaves or sheets of music connected therewith. The front faces of the teeth 22 in the direction of feeding movement of the bar 21 are beveled and the coacting faces of the arms 14 of the detents 12 correspondingly beveled to permit the detents to be tilted with a minimum of resistance when the bar moves forward.

The rear face of the bar 21 is formed with a series of rack-teeth 23, which are adapted to be successively engaged by holding and releasing pawl 24, suitably pivoted to the casing 1, said pawl being connected to a releasingrod 25, extending' to the exterior through the rear wall of the casing and having a bent outer end 26, carrying an operating push-button 27, the bent end 26 being arranged to project the button a sufficient distance below the bottom of the casing so that it may be conveniently operated by the finger or a suitable operating device from the front thereof. A coiled spring 28 engages the rod and pawl 24 and normally holds the rod pressed inward and the pawl engaged with one of the ratchetteeth 23. The teeth 23 are arranged in coinciding relation to and correspond in number with the teeth 22, so as to obtain a proper feeding movement of the bar 21 to effect the tripping of the detents 12. The edges of the bar 21 fit and slide in grooved guideways 29 in the top and bottom walls of the casing, whereby said bar is mounted for movement in a true path. f

To the forward or right-hand end of the bar 21 one end of a coiled spring 30 is attached, and the opposite end of this spring is` connected with a screw-stem 31, mounted in the right-hand end of the casing 1 and provided with an actuating head or nut 32, by which it may be adjusted to regulate the tension of said spring. The purpose of this spring 30 is to feed the bar 21 forward to give the proper intermittent motion thereto as the pawl 24 is successively released from engagement with the teeth 23.

Assuming the parts to be set for operation, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, it will be readily understood that when the button 27 is gently pushed rearwardly the rod 25 will be moved outwardly against the resistance of the spring 23 and will retract the pawl 24, thus permitting the spring 30 to feed the bar 21 forward. rlhe pawl 24 will thus be released from engagement with one of the teeth 23, and as the button 27 is released immediately by the operator will be forced by the action of the spring 23 into engagement with the succeeding tooth 23 to the left in the direction of movement of the pawl 21. This action will move the bar 21 the space of one tooth and the detent 12 in engagementvwith the forward tooth 22 will be tilted and will release the head 5 held thereby, thus permitting the spring 9, connected with said head, to turn the same to the left and correspondingly swing` the associated arm 3 to turn the sheet or leaf of music connected therewith to the left. Successive forward movements of the bar 21 will operate the detents 12 in turn, thus effecting the swinging of the arms 13 1n a corresponding manner to successively turn the sheets or leaves. As each head 5 is released and turned to swing the leaf-turning arm connected therewith, the periphery of the head engages and rides on the free end of the arm 13 of the coacting detent and holds the detent tilted out of the path of the teeth 22. Vhen the heads are returned to normal position by the retraction of the arms 3, the free ends of the arms 13 snap into the notches 16 under the action of the springs 17, thus resetting the detents for use.

The pawl 24 is centrally mounted upon a suitable pivot-rod 24a and is provided at one end with a feed-tooth 24b and at its opposite end with a stop-tooth 24. The tooth 24b normally holds the bar 21 from movement by the spring 30,while upon the retraction of said tooth 24b the tooth 24C is projected into engagement with one of the teeth of the rackbar to permit said bar to move only the distance of one tooth. By this means the pawl acts in the nature of an escapement to prevent the feed of the rack-bar a distance greater than the distance between adjacent teeth and the release of more than one leaf-turning arm at a time in the event that the operator should press too long upon the key 27.

In order to permit the bar 21 to be conveniently moved backward or reset, a resetting device is provided comprising a head or button 33, arranged upon the under side of the casing and provided with a stem 34, movable in a longitudinal slot in the casing and connected with the bar, so that by simply tilting the arms 14 of the detents 12 out of engagement with the bar, which may be performed in any convenient manner, the bar may be retracted or moved to the left and reset by sliding the resetting device 33.

In practice suitable means may be provided for actuating the pawl-releasing rod 25 by an arm or foot connection, so that the per- IOO IIO

former may effect the release of the leaf-turning arms in a convenient manner without affecting his playing.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. In a music-leaf turner, the combination of a frame or casing, a longitudinally-movable spring-actuated rack-bar arranged therein, said bar being provided with opposite sets of teeth, a series of spring-actuated leaf-turning arms, each of said arms having a grooved head provided with a locking-shoulder, pivoted spring-actuated detents adapted to engage said locking-shoulders and one of the sets of teeth of the rack bar, actuatingsprings, flexible connections between said actuating-springs and the grooved heads of the turning-arms, and a spring-actuated feedpawl to engage the other set of teeth of the rack-bar.

2. In a music-leaf turner, the combination of a frame or casing, a longitudinally-movable rack-bar arranged therein and provided with opposite sets of rack-teeth, a series of spring-actuated detents cop erating with one of said sets of teeth, a series of leaf-turning arms having grooved heads provided with locking-shoulders to coperate with said detents, a spring for actuating the rack-bar, arm-actuating springs, means for regulating the action of said springs, ieiible connections between thearm-actuating springs and the grooved heads, and a spring-actuated feedpawl cooperating with the other set of rackteeth of the rack-bar, substantially as described.

3. In a music-leaf turner, the combination of a frame or casing having a guideway, a rack-bar slidably mounted in said guideway and provided with a finger-piece for retracting the same and the opposite sets of rackteeth, a spring for moving the bar in one direction, leafturning arms provided with grooved pivoted heads,each having a locking-shoulder, a series of spring-actuated bellcranked detents adapted to engage said locking-shoulders and one of the sets of teeth of the rack-bar, contractile springs operatively connected with the rack-bar and heads of the turning-arms, and a spring-actuated feedpawl coacting with the other set of teeth of the rack-bar.

4. In a music-leaf turner, the combination of a frame or casing, a longitudinally-movable holding and releasing device arranged therein, said device being formed upon its opposite sides with sets of rack-teeth, a contractile spring for sliding said device in one direction, a releasing device coperating with one of said sets of rack-teeth and controlling the action of said spring, a series of spring-actuated detents arranged in parallel relation and coperating with the other set of rack-teeth, pivoted leaf-turning arms adapted to be held in inoperative position by said detents and released by the retraction thereof, and contractile springs for swinging said arms.

5. In a music-leaf turner, the combination of a frame or casing, a rack bar slidably mounted therein, a releasing device for controlling the action of the rack-bar, a series of spring-actuated detents adapted to be successively released by said bar, leaf-turning arms normally held retracted by said detents, contractile springs operatively connected with the rack-bar and arms, and adjusting devices arranged upon the casing for regulating the action of said springs.

In testimony whereof I afIiX my signature in presence of two witnesses. i

THOMAS STEVENTON. I/Vitnesses:

C. K. BLAKESLEE, LrLLrE E. DrsBRow. 

